Smoke without Nov 5 bonfireBy Richard Savill(Filed: 04/11/2002)A group of villagers will gather around a fake Guy Fawkes bonfire, complete with a smoke machine, this week because of the spiralling costs of insurance.

They have had to build a "fire" from beanpoles, straw and flaps of orange paper to imitate flames. The 12ft-high structure will be adorned with plastic lights and the centre will be lit by a lightbulb.

Organisers of the display at Sherston, Wilts, to be staged in front of 700 visitors, were told the cost of insuring a fire had risen from £237 to £2,470.